(Eighth Parliament - First Session ) No . 241 . ] MINUTES OF PARLIAMENT Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 10.30 a.m. PRESENT ::: Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, Speaker Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees Hon. Selvam Adaikkalanathan, Deputy Chairman of Committees His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Minister of Defence, Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment and Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister and Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Hon. (Mrs.) Thalatha Atukorale, Minister of Foreign Employment and Minister of Justice Hon. John Amaratunga, Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and State Minister of Mahaweli Development Hon. Gayantha Karunatileka, Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms and the Chief Government Whip Hon. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Minister of Education Hon. Lakshman Kiriella, Minister of Higher Education and Highways and Leader of the House of Parliament Hon. Daya Gamage, Minister of Primary Industries Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Minister of Sports Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Hon. Palany Thigambaram, Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development Hon. S. B. Nawinne, Minister of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs Hon. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife and Minister of Buddhasasana ( 2 ) M. No. 241 Hon. A. D. Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Science, Technology and Research Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce Hon. Tilak Marapana, Minister of Development Assignments and Foreign Affairs Hon. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Minister of Disaster Management Hon. Chandima Weerakkody, Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Hon. Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Ports and Shipping Hon. W. D. J. Senewiratne, Minister of Labour, Trade Union Relations and Sabaragamu Development Hon. (Dr.) Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Hon. D. M. Swaminathan, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Hon. Abdul Haleem, Minister of Post, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs Hon. Kabir Hashim, Minister of Public Enterprise Development Hon. P. Harrison, Minister of Rural Economic Affairs Hon. Wasantha Aluwihare, State Minister of Agriculture Hon. T. B. Ekanayake, State Minister of Lands Hon. Dilan Perera, State Minister of Highways Hon. Niroshan Perera, State Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, State Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Hon. (Mrs.) Vijayakala Maheswaran, State Minister of Child Affairs Hon. V. S. Radhakrishnan, State Minister of Education Hon. Ruwan Wijewardene, State Minister of Defence Hon. (Mrs.) Sriyani Wijewickrama, State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi, State Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Hon. Ravindra Samaraweera, State Minister of Labour and Trade Unions Relations Hon. Sujeewa Senasinghe, State Minister of International Trade Hon. A. H. M. Fowzie, State Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation ( 3 ) M. No. 241 Hon. Ashok Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Hon. Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Deputy Minister of Finance and Mass Media Hon. Dunesh Gankanda, Deputy Minister of Disaster Management Hon. (Dr.) Harsha De Silva, Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Hon. Manusha Nanayakkara, Deputy Minister of Foreign Employment Hon. Karunarathna Paranawithana, Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Hon. Susantha Punchinilame, Deputy Minister of Public Administration and Management Hon. Indika Bandaranayake, Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction Hon. Tharanath Basnayaka, Deputy Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Hon. Nishantha Muthuhettigamage, Deputy Minister of Ports and Shipping Affairs Hon. Ranjan Ramanayake, Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage Hon. H. M. M. Harees, Deputy Minister of Sports Hon. Hector Appuhamy Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma Hon. Ranjith Aluvihare Hon. J. M. Ananda Kumarasiri Hon. Velu Kumar Hon. Nalaka Prasad Colonne Hon. Kaveendiran Kodeeswaran Hon. Chandrasiri Gajadeera Hon. Chandima Gamage Hon. Siripala Gamalath Hon. Udaya Prabhath Gammanpila Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena Hon. Bandula Gunawardane Hon. Sisira Jayakody Hon. Malith Jayathilake Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa ( 4 ) M. No. 241 Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha Hon. Anura Sidney Jayarathne Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardana Hon. Lucky Jayawardana Hon. Mylvaganam Thilakarajah Hon. K. Thurairetnasingam Hon. Janaka Bandara Tennakoon Hon. M. S. Thowfeek Hon. Sirinal de Mel Hon. Mayantha Dissanayake Hon. Weerakumara Dissanayake Hon. Salinda Dissanayake Hon. Douglas Devananda Hon. Mohamadu Nazeer Hon. (Dr.) Ramesh Pathirana Hon. K. K. Piyadasa Hon. Sujith Sanjaya Perera Hon. Vijitha Berugoda Hon. Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana Hon. K. Kader Masthan Hon. Imran Maharoof Hon. (Prof.) Ashu Marasinghe Hon. Seeniththamby Yoheswaran Hon. (Ven.) Athuraliye Rathana Thero Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga Hon. Prasanna Ranaweera Hon. Roshan Ranasinghe Hon. Ishak Rahuman Hon. Mujibur Rahuman Hon. (Dr.) Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe Hon. Angajan Ramanathan Hon. Nimal Lanza Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura Hon. (Mrs.) Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi Hon. Vidura Wickramanayaka Hon. (Dr.) Jayampathy Wickramaratne Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Thusitha Wijemanna Hon. Lakshman Ananda Wijemanne Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna ( 5 ) M. No. 241 Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri Hon. Duleep Wijesekera Hon. Heshan Withanage Hon. S. Viyalanderan Hon. Gnanamuthu Srineshan Hon. (Mrs.) Shanthi Sriskandarasa Hon. Sandith Samarasinghe Hon. Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Hon. E. Saravanapavan Hon. Dharmalingam Sithadthan Hon. Muthu Sivalingam Hon. Annamalai Nadesu Sivasakthi Hon. M. A. Sumanthiran Hon. Vadivel Suresh Hon. Mavai S. Senathirajah Hon. Vijitha Herath Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, Secretary -General of Parliament Mr. Neil Iddawala, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary -General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Assistant Secretary -General Mr. Tikiri K. Jayathilake, Assistant Secretary -General Parliament met pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker took the Chair. 1. Presentation of Papers : The Speaker presented the Tenth instalment – Special Audit Reports – Part VI of the Report of the Auditor –General, in terms of Article 154(6) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Ordered that the said Report do lie upon the Table and to be printed. (2) The Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms presented the — (i) Order made by the Minister of Finance and Mass Media under Section 3 of the Excise (Special Provisions) Act, No. 13 of 1989 relating to Excise Duty and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2044/32 of 09 th November 2017; (ii) Order made by the Minister of Finance and Mass Media under Section 3 of the Excise (Special Provisions) Act, No. 13 of 1989 relating to Excise Duty and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2045/32 of 15 th November 2017; (iii) Order made by the Minister of Finance and Mass Media under Section 3 of the Excise (Special Provisions) Act, No. 13 of 1989 relating to Excise Duty and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2045/33 of 15 th November 2017; ( 6 ) M. No. 241 (iv) Order made by the Minister of Finance and Mass Media under Section 3 of the Excise (Special Provisions) Act, No. 13 of 1989 relating to Excise Duty and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2046/14 of 22 nd November 2017; and (v) Order made by the Minister of Finance and Mass Media under Section 3 of the Excise (Special Provisions) Act, No. 13 of 1989 relating to Excise Duty and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2047/25 of 28 th November 2017. and moved that these Orders be referred to the Committee on Public Finance . Question put, and agreed to. (3) The Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms presented the Annual Report of the Shrama Vasana Fund for the year 2015 and moved that this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development . Question put, and agreed to. (4) The Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms presented the Annual Report of the Lanka Sathosa Ltd for the years 2005/2006 and 2007 and moved that these Reports be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Manufacturing and Services . Question put, and agreed to. (5) The Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms presented the Annual Report of the Thurusaviya Fund for the year 2016 and moved that this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Lands . Question put, and agreed to. (6) The Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms presented the Annual Performance Report of the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy for the year 2016 and moved that this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Energy. Question put, and agreed to. 2. Petitions : (1) Hon. (Mrs.) Thalatha Atukorale presented